Still Life?
We have learned from experience that large London exhibitions can be challenging environments for study visits. The inevitable crowds mean that it is difficult to keep track of the group and doesn’t always make for an environment for reflection. However, Seduced by Art at the National Gallery definitely merits a visit. The show looks at how photographers use fine art traditions, including Old Master painting, to explore and justify the possibilities of their art. Paintings and early and contemporary photography are presented together by genre, such as still life with Ori Gersht’s image above displayed alongside its inspiration the Rosy Wealth of June by Fantin-Latour. (There is an interesting analysis of the Gersht image on the Guardian website here.)
To get round the challenges posed by the study visit we are adopting a different format for this exhibition and the visit to the exhibition will be preceded by an hour long lecture by a member of the National Gallery education team. The lecture will be specifically pitched to the needs of OCA’s students. The visit is on Friday 7 December and you will need to be there for 10.45. The visit is open to students across all of the visual arts. To book your place email enquiries@oca-uk.com If you need to, it’s well worth taking the day off work to attend.
Image Credit: Detail from: Ori Gersht, Blow Up: Untitled 5, 2007 © Courtesy of the artist and Mummery + Schnelle, London
15 thoughts on “Still Life?”
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I’ve tried to nab my place—the link between art and inspiration for photography is something that I have been looking at recently. Specifically Ori Gersht and his inspiration from Juan Sanchez Cotan; and also the work by Druer on Gillian Wearing; and all the still life relating to David LaChapelle’s work ‘The Earth Laughs in Flower’; and more recently Sharon Core with her reworking of the paintings by Raphaelle Peale. Really looking forward to this one!
Have booked my place and am reading the catalogue in preparation.
I find the relationship between art and photography to be a fascinating one although it might be a little one-sided here since the exhibition is about the influence of painting on photography; one surely needs to also consider the influence of photography on painting.
Having said that, as a working photographer, I find myself fascinated by the subject here.
I went to order the catalogue—but found £5.51 for P&P a little steep. It will just have to wait till I am passing by sometime!
Yes, I paid an extra £5 or so recently for a delivery and the book still took almost a week to arrive – came with a handwritten apology!
This exhibition was highlighted on The Culture Show this evening (BBC2) and there were a couple of interviews; the photograph as a work of art – now that is possible but rather rare!?
I’ve applied – hope I get in. The catalogue arrived this morning from Amazon (free P&P as I’m a prime member – well worth it given the number of books I buy). It’s well worth the price – wonderful photographs and interesting content.
Catherine—Amazon is more expensive than buying it direct from National Gallery-even with the National Gallery P&P. I had not thought of looking at Amazon for the catalogue though.
I also watched this on the Culture Show last night and too find the relationship between photography and painting/drawing very interesting. I find when I use photographs as references for my works I get lots of ideas about tonal relationships and lots of optical stuff, like movement when you wiggle the camera when taking a photo. Oh, and the above photo reminds me of Redon’s work!
@Amano and Noah
Thanks for the heads-up about the Culture show. Duly watched it. Can’t help but love iPlayer!
Too bad that I have used up all my holiday this year and cannot do anything on the weekday anymore. I will pay attention to your blogs and catch some interesting information on this study day.
Siegfried—far be it for me to suggest that you throw a sickie!! 🙂 Pity you will not be there though!
Can’t come as it is our Christmas Do and the train fare is too expensive!
In response to the last entry, I too cannot attend. I do not live in London but close enough to anticipate the occasional day, however to be there by 10.45 doesn’t allow me to journey to London using off peak trains and my network card (which gets me 1/3 off) This is a difference of £20.00 a considerable amount of money!
Perhaps the OCA could consider this and factor in an average journey time for those who live outside London but close enough to come up and start the study days a little later?
Hi Rachel
The lecture had to be organised to fit in with National Gallery staff and meeting room availability I am afraid. The lecture comes with free entry to the exhibition, which would normally cost £12. I have asked someone to check the costs of rail fares for you and we think you could get there for about £20 without a railcard. There are still places available and it would be great to see you there.
The idea of the formal lecture / talk first sounds good. We had something like that for the Nicholson & Mondrian study visit earlier in the year, and it really helped with how we then looked at the exhibition.
Students in the north of England unable to make the National Gallery study visit might be interested in this exhibition on a similar theme in Bradford. In any event the video is certainly worth watching for the curator’s comments on images by Edward Steichen and Don McCullen.